The Vandalism of Shalom

Genesis 1 & 2 describe a world without sin; rather, a world that was performing and functioning as it was intended to be, a world of shalom. Pastor Dave speaks on how Genesis 3 reveals the vandalism of this shalom and the repercussions from the vandalism that we live with today.

Experiencing pain is a result of living in a broken world. How then, do we resolve the hurt from pain? What is the purpose for it? Pastor Dave speaks on the purpose of pain through Joseph’s life in Genesis 45.

How do we prepare for pain? Where do you rest your trust in preparation for life’s turns? Pastor Dave Lomas speaks on how we can prepare for life in both blessing and suffering by knowing that God is sovereign as Joseph did in Genesis 41.

Guilt is feeling bad about what one has done. Shame is feeling bad about what one is. Judah is desperately looking for a scapegoat in Tamar for what kind of father he has become. Why do you do the same? How often are you pushing the blame from yourself to others? Pastor Josh Kehler speaks on Judah’s heart in Genesis 38.

We all love to dream from time to time. But what if your dreams are not from God? Which ones do you hold fast to? Pastor Tarik speaks on keeping God’s perspective through our hopes and dreams in Genesis 37.

Who are you? Do you hold onto what is said of you? Or do you stand on who you’ve been named to be? Dave Dealy speaks on the life of Jacob and how he wrestled and was humbled by God to remember the name he was given in Genesis 32.

Jacob has fallen in love with Rachel and would do anything to have her. He even works for seven years for her. But when it was time to have Rachel, he wakes up with Leah. What is it in your life that is the focus of all joy and worth? What is your Rachel? Pastor Dave speaks on the grace of God as we wake up with our Leah’s and realize where our joys can not stand.

Esau esteemed his birthright as high as a bowl of soup. Jacob held onto it with all of his heart and would do anything for it. Dave Dealy speaks on how Christ makes our birthright a blessing and not a burden in Genesis 25:19-34.

God asked Abraham to give up the one blessing that was promised to him. Are you willing to give up the blessing to get the Giver? Would we give God our lives if He gave nothing back but Himself? Pastor Dave speaks on Abraham’s sacrifice in Genesis 22:1-14.

Abraham finds himself courageously interceding on behalf of Sodom to be spared. Are you comfortable asking God to move in this way? How do you view prayer in relation to God? Pastor Tarik speaks on intercession as God’s people in Genesis 18:16-33.

Just like Abraham and Sarah tried to have a child on their own instead of waiting for God’s promise, we sometimes try to make things move along just a little bit faster. But things tend to go from bad to worse when we do this. Pastor Dave speaks on how God sees and hears our mess and mistakes despite our efforts to secretly “help” Him along in Genesis 16.

There are times where life’s circumstances seem simply impossible and unconquerable. We never know how God will break in, but He promises that He will break in and in that we can rest. Pastor Dave speaks on how God breaks in to redeem in Genesis 12:1-3.

We are so often concerned with the seemingly “bigger” sins in our lives that we have little or no regard for the envy in our hearts. We forget too quickly that it was envy that lead Cain to murder Abel. Paster Dave Lomas speaks on the subtlety of envy in Genesis 4:3-7.

We often think of Sin as doing the things that we ought not to do. But sin is bigger than that. Pastor Dave Lomas speaks on how sin has hijacked the peace of what we have been created to be in God in Genesis 3:7-24.

We were created in the image of God and so created to be in relationship–to be radically towards one another in relationship and in community. There is no more intense, intimate picture of this than marriage. Pastor Dave speaks about marriage through the lens of being created in the image of God in Genesis 1:25-27 and 2:18-25.

We have been created in the image of God–the triune image of God. So, we have been made to be in relational community to experience Him to the fullest. Pastor Dave speaks on relationship in the Image of God in Genesis 1:25-27 and 2:18-25.

How we read Genesis 1:1 will determine the way we read the rest of the Creation Narrative, the rest of Genesis, even the rest of the Bible. We must get this text right. Pastor Dave begins the Genesis series by looking at the phrase “In the beginning, God…” in a sermon entitled: A Divine Introduction.

How does God work into you and work out of you your new identity? And what is our role in all this? We are not passive in this endeavor but how do we work out what God works in? Pastor Dave concludes the Identity series with a look into Philippians 2:12-13.

If what you have, what you do, and what you desire don’t make you who you are, how does your new identity in Christ shape what you do, what you have and desire? Pastor Dave speaks on how our new identity in Christ affects how we see ourselves in our work, what we do, and what we desire in Eph 4:22-32.

Once we place our faith in Jesus, the truest thing about us becomes this New Identity that Christ gives to you. Paul calls this new identity a new self. How does this New Self Emerge out of the Old Self? Pastor Dave teaches on the emergence of this new self in Col 3:10.

We are often pulled this-way and that-way by our own will or the will of others. In Colossians 3:1-4, the Christian is called new and has received a newness that allows him or her to set their eyes on things above. Where does your heart lie? Guest speaker, Francis Chan speaks on setting our eyes on things above.

From the moment we trust in Jesus and begin to follow Him, the mandate of scripture is to become who you are. The way Paul approaches this “becoming who you are-ness” in Colossians 3 is by using a “put off” and “put on” paradigm. The word that best embodies this idea is repentance. Pastor Dave teaches on how the life of a follower of Jesus should be one of repentance in Col 3:5-15.

How does the follower of Jesus become more like Jesus? Rules never work for lasting change and following the deepest desires of our heart often ends in chaos. How does God transform us? In part 5 of our New Identity Series, Pastor Dave teaches on this topic through Col 3:1-4.

If we neglect to live out of the core truth that we are loved by God through Jesus, and that love is neither earned nor deserved, we will begin to reduce Christianity to self-improvement. In part 4 of the identity series Pastor Dave teaches on what the righteousness of Christ says to the believer in Col 3:1-4.

Is Christ your life? This is a question that either completely destroys you with conviction or fills you with pride. Neither approach is helpful. Paul doesn’t frame it as a question in Colossians 3, but as a fact. An indicative. A truth. The truest thing about the Christian. Now what does that mean? Pastor Dave teaches on the Christian’s new identity.

Although we live in a throw away culture where we throw away things when they are used or broken, God doesn’t view things this way. Pastor Tarik teaches on how Jesus restores Peter because God is a restoring God.

From the moment you see Christ’s love for you and receive His substitutionary death for your sins, you are faced with the call to become who you are. Pastor Dave begins a new series on the Christian’s New Identity in Col 3:1-4.